The Portland daily press., 1887-02-15
The Appropriation Bulls Behind In
in House and Sc. ate.
No Likelihood of Action on the Free
ship Bill This Session.
Appropriations Proposed for Maine
Rivers and Harbors.
Portland to Have $4,000 for the
Back Bay.
A Fine Old Gentleman from Ken
lucky After the Austrian Missions.
Pensions Granted to Maine People
/ Postal Changes and Other Matters.
Especial to the Press,

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.
The appropriation bills have rarely been so
far behind at this stage Of the short session
as they are now. Only sixteen more work.
ing days remain before the 4th of March will
come to put an end to the XLIXth Congress,
but as yet only two of the fourteen appro-
priation bills have been signed by the Presi-
dent, and one, the general deficiency, is not
yet reported to the House from the appro-
priation committee. The bills still remain
ing unconsidered in the House are the con-
sular and diplomatic, which is nearly
ready for passage; the legislative, executive
and judicial, naval, Notifications, and defic-
iency. The Senate has these bills still to
act upon, and in addition, the District Of Co
lumbia, military academy, agriculture, and
river and harbor. The sundry civil and post
office bills are in conference. The river and
harbor bill is considered as being almost GER
tain to fail of passage, as the Senate will
largely increase its total from that passed
by the House. and there is so much opposi-
tion to it that it is hardly probable that an
agreement can be reached upon it by the
two houses in the brief time which will
remain after it shall pass the Senate.
The Free ship Bill.
The free ship bill may undoubtedly be con-
sidered as good as dead for this Congress-
Chairman Dunn has as yet this session been
unable to get recognition for his bill, and
every days delay now adds to the weakness
of his chances. The vote in the Senate on
Saturday, by which that body refused, 81 to
l9, to allow Morgan's free ship amendment
to be tackled to Mr.. Frye's subsidy" clause,
was abundant evidence that free ships would
have few friends in the Senate even should
the House pass the Dunn bill. Mr.. Dunn,
therefore, could get little satisfaction even if
he should succeed in getting the bill through
the House by narrow margin. Moreover
the chances are about even that he could not
succeed in the latter attempt even, so that
the probabilities are that the bill will not be
heard Of again until another Congress.
Postal Changes in Maine.
The following postal changes in star sched-
ules are announced for Maine:
Route 124. Wellington to Harmony, increase
service service 70 SIX times week. To take effect Feb
Route $40. Exeter to Etna. Leave Exeter
ia Saily except Sunday at s a. m Arrive at Etna
pyo0 70 .. ~. leave Elna ually except sunday at
$50 p m. Arrive at Exeter by 9.30p, m.
Postmaster Commissioned.
Augustus S. Chick has been commissioned
postmaster at East LimingtoD, Me.
Personal.
B. Green and wife of Brunswick and Miss
Louise Davis of Lisbon are visiting here.
For improving Maine Rivers and
Harbors.
Amendments for the improvement of
Maine rivers and harbbrs have been offered
to the river and harbor bill in the Senate as
follows: By Senator Frye, for improving the
channel at Back Cove, Portland, $4,000;
fer improving Narraguagus river, c1o,uuo;;
for completing improvements at York, $10,-
600. By Senator Hale, for improvement at
Bar Harbor by building breakwater, $780,
600. They were referred to the committee on
commerce.
The Dependent Pension Bill.
The Presidents veto of the dependent rel
atiyes pension bill was discussed without
result today by the House committee on in
valid pensions.
The Austrian Mission.
Hon. A. G. Talbot of Kentucky is here
looking after the Austrian mission. He a
ine-looking old gentleman, with gold spec
tacles and smooth-shaven face, and reminds
one of the pictures of Benjamin Franklin.
His complexion is as pink and his smile as
benign as that of Senator Hoar. He is
backed by every one whose backing is worth
anything from Kentucky. He has never
tasted spirituous liquors of any kind nor
smoked cigars. 1t is urged by some that his
republican simplicity will astonish the gay
court of Austria, but the State Department
feels that astonishment of this sort is pref
cradle to such surprises as Messrs. Manning